Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
Up to 70% of agricultural productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean is reduced when environmental costs are taken into account. The increase in production has been driven mainly by the intensive use of inputs rather than by technological or managerial improvements, highlighting the need for policies that integrate sustainability and innovation. (IDB, 2025)
In 2023, the relative internal productivity of the Agriculture sector in Latin America and the Caribbean was 44 (with total productivity coefficient = 100), showing its lag compared to sectors with higher productivity, according to the sectoral graph of the report (ECLAC, 2025).
A comparative study conducted by the University of Costa Rica (UCR) analyzes agroecological practices in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, highlighting the role of cultural agricultural management and ancestral knowledge in farm sustainability. Through interviews and field observation, it identifies key categories such as soil fertility, productive diversification, biological control, and resourc...
Between 4% and 13% of women farmers in Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Brazil and Chile have access to credit (FAO, 2022).
19.3% of people in Nicaragua are undernourished in the period 2018-2020 (FAO, 2023).
0.26 to 0.67 kg CO₂e is the carbon footprint for each kilogram of fresh coffee beans in conventional systems in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, while in organic management systems (agroforestry) the footprint is lower, between 0.12 and 0.52 kg CO₂e. (IICA, 2021)
20 million people in farm households in developing countries are growing and consuming biofortified crops according to HarvestPlus (Bouis & Saltzman, 2017).
6 countries receive technical assistance from HarvestPlus for biofortification programs in Latin America and the Caribbean: Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua and Panama (Bouis & Saltzman, 2017).
83.2% of farms in Nicaragua are family farms (223,374 units), exceeding the LAC average of 81.3%.
